Singer, songwriter, piano-slayer and super blogger Amanda Palmer is preparing to release her first new studio album in four years, in conjunction with her new band, The Grand Theft Orchestra, featuring Michael McQuilken, Chad Raines, and Jherek Bishoff. Entitled Theatre Is Evil, the album was recently recorded in Melbourne, Australia, with producer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Murder By Death, Modest Mouse, Xiu Xiu). Arguably her most pop-influenced album yet, Theatre Is Evil showcases Amanda’s powerful vocals and talented songwriting in ways that might surprise even her most ardent fans. Written over the course of several years (since the release of her last studio album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer), the album offers a collection of sounds and rhythms heavily influenced by the music Palmer grew up listening to – most notably 80’s synth rock and Brit Pop. True to form, the undisputed queen of crowd-sourcing and fan engagement enlisted her community of loyal supporters to launch her ambitious global release, selling nearly 25,000 copies of her new album in multiple formats via Kickstarter, along with a variety of unique merch items. But don’t worry: The songs are cool, too.